Vehicle tire deflator

ABSTRACT

An improved vehicle tire deflator that is a foldable and can be deployed by pushing it or pulling it to an extended attitude across at least one full traffic lane. The deflator includes a plurality of rocker arms that are each pivotally coupled to base supports, forming a frame that is collapsible and when extended, includes a stop arrangement for holding the rocker arms apart. The rocker arms each include a plurality of actuators that incorporate spaced center holed and countersunk spike base bosses, each boss to accommodate an end of a hollow spike and attached resilient grommet fitted therein. When a tire rolls onto a rocker arm actuator, that rocker arm is canted towards the rolling tire tread, directing a hollow spike sharp and into the tire tread to lodge therein as the tire continues to roll over the actuator, the resilient grommet absorbing forces as are exerted by the tire rolling over the hollow spike pointed end and the hollow spike is pulled out from its spike base boss seat and travels fully into the tire, allowing air from within that tire to vent therethrough. Alternatively, for penetrating a steel belted fire, or the like, an insert that is formed of a hard steel, or the like, and has a pointed end can be fitted-longitudinally into and maintained in which hollow spike, the insert pointed end to extend beyond the hollow spike pointed end to first contact the tread of a tire rolling thereover.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention related to devices for use by police, military or thelike, to provide a controlled deflation of the pneumatic tires of avehicle driven thereover.

2. Prior Art

From time to time law enforcement officials find it necessary to stop avehicle being operated by a person who has refused an order to stop.Portable barricades including positioning vehicles across a roadway,have often been used to stop a fleeing vehicle. Where, for example thebarricades have been removable, such as saw horses, such have often notbeen sufficient to discourage a vehicle from running through thebarrier, potentially resulting in vehicle damage and injury. Of recenttime, devices have been developed for deflating the tires of suchfleeing vehicle.

An earlier U.S. Patent of two of the present invention, U.S. Pat. No.4,995,756, is such a tire deflation device. This device consists of acollapsible and extendible frame that includes one or more rocker armscarrying hollow spikes, with actuators attached to which rocker arms topivot the rocker arms so as to position the spikes to enter a tirerolling thereover, to pull the spikes from the rocker arms that enterthe tires. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,756 was deemed to be unique overearlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,276,100; 2,912,229; 3,652,059; and 4,382,714,and foreign patents, 593,355, Fed. Rep. of Germany and 2,032,983, UnitedKingdom, that show different arrangements of frames, pins and spikes, aspneumatic tire deflators, and the like. None of which earlier devicesshow the particular collapsing frame structure and components thereof.Nor do any shown the resiliently mounted removable and replaceablehollow spikes of the invention.

The present invention is an improvement over which U.S. Pat. No.4,995,756. Specifically, the present improvement is in the foldable andextendable frame with stops and ramp arrangements, rocker arms spikemounts, and cushioning sleeve and spikes for arrangement in which spikemounts, and includes a unique cushioning sleeve and spike mounting tool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a principal object of the present invention in a vehicle tiredeflator to provide a frame that is easily folded and can beconveniently unfolded and extended to be slid by an operator from oneside of a traffic lane or roadway across at least that traffic lanewithout exposing that operator to danger from on coming traffic.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved spikemount for the frame rocker arms where the forces exerted by a vehicletire rolling onto a hollow spike of the invention will not deform thespike seat.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hollow spikewith cushioning sleeve arrangement for providing a resilient spike torocker arm mounting.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spike that iscapable of piercing a steel belted tire.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide tooling foreasily and safely installing the individual hollow spikes withcushioning sleeve collars into the rocker arm spike seats.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide aninexpensive method to produce an easy to use device for safely deflatingthe tires of a vehicle that travels thereover.

The invention is in a vehicle tire deflator consisting of a frame thatincludes a base support with articulated arm sections that are arrangedto fold together, and, when extended, will have a length that issufficient to at least reach across a traffic lane. Ramp and stoparrangements are provided on each of the base and arm sections thatoverlay one another providing for both locking to allow the extendedframe to be pushed across the traffic lane and also to provide formaintaining which arm sections off of the pavement as the frame ispushed or pulled into an extended attitude across the traffic lane.

The articulated arm sections consist of rocker arms that are pivotmounted to the base supports to rock thereon on depression of actuatorarms extending therefrom. The rocker arms releasably mount or seathollow spikes to extend therefrom. For which spike seat, spike basebosses that extend from the rocker arms are drilled to the spikediameter and are then counter-sunk to the form of a resilient cushioningsleeve that is fitted as a collar onto which spike. The cushioningsleeve absorbs energy of a tire rolling onto the spike that wouldotherwise cause the spike seated end to move, elongating that spike seatend hole. The cushioning sleeve allows that tire force to move the spikein the direction of tire travel as the spike is directed into the tire,allowing the spike to pivot without elongating the spike seat.

When the pneumatic tire rolls over the spike, it enters the tire and ispulled from its rocker arm seat. The tire, as it continues to rollpushes the spike fully into the tire to the spike base end. The hollowspike provides a passage for air escaping from the tire, creating acontrolled tire deflation, that allows the vehicle operator to safelystop the vehicle as the tires go flat. For a puncturing a steel beltedtire, the spike of the invention preferably includes a pointed insertthat is a corrugated section arranged to loosely fit axially therein.The insert point is fitted to extend beyond the pointed end of whichhollow spike, and the base thereof is notched centrally forming endsections that are bent oppositely into feet for extending just beyondthe hollow spike base edge.

Additionally, the invention includes a tool having a ball end with oneor more recesses wherein a hollow spike is fitted, sharp end first, anda cushioning sleeve is fitted over a flat end of which spike. Which toolalso includes a straight shaft for fitting over the spike sharp end,resting on the cushioning sleeve top surface, for seating the spike flatend and cushioning sleeve in the rocker arm spike seat.

THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the invention and its advantages will beapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved vehicle tire deflator ofthe present invention, shown extended;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation sectional view taken along the line 2--2 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view like that of FIG. 1 only showing the improved vehicletire deflator folded or closed for storage or transport;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation sectional view taken along the line 4--4 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view like that of FIG. 1, showing the improved vehicle tiredeflator extended across a traffic lane, showing a vehicle tire, inbroken lines, about to roll over the tire deflator;

FIG. 6A is a side elevation view of a cushioning sleeve assembly andcompression insert tool, showing a ball end up with a hollow spikefitted, pointed end first, into a hole in which ball end, and showing acushioning sleeve aligned for installation as a collar over which hollowspike;

FIG. 6B is a view like that of FIG. 6A only showing the cushioningsleeve as having been axially installed onto the pointed spike;

FIG. 7 is a profile perspective view of the cushioning sleeve assemblyand compression insert tool of FIG. 6A, showing the ball end of whichtool being manually manipulated so as to fit a hollow spike, shown in abroken away portion of a tube portion of which tool, with a cushioningsleeve collar into a spike seat formed into a rocker arm spike base bossof which tire deflator;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of a broken away portion of a base supportof the erected tire deflator of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the collapsed or closed tire deflator ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation sectional view taken along the line 10--10of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line 11--11 of FIG. 8,showing, turned fight side up, the rocker arm that mounts oppositelyfacing radial lifting ramps;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged side elevation view of a hollow spike of theinvention that is shown as including an insert fitted therein having onepointed end that extends above the hollow spike pointed end and with theopposite end shown slotted and the formed end sections shown bentoppositely and fight angles across the hollow spike flat end; and

FIG. 13 is sectional view taken along the line 13--13 of FIG. 12 showingthe insert as formed from a corrugated section extending across thehollow spike center opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,756, ina Vehicle Tire Deflator issued to two of the present inventors. Thepresent invention, as shown best in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 8 and 9, like theU.S. Pat. No. 4,995,756, is in a vehicle tire deflator 20, hereinafterreferred to as deflator. The deflator 20 includes a plurality of basesupports 21, a plurality of rocker arms 22 extending across which basesupports, with a number of rocker arm actuators 23 extending fromopposite sides of which rocker arms to point towards an oncoming vehiclewhen the deflator 20 is extended across a traffic lane, as shown in FIG.5. The rocker arms 22, in turn, support a plurality of hollow spikes 24projecting from the top surfaces thereof. Which hollow spikes forpuncturing a standard tire can be hollow tubes only having sharp ends24a only, or, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, can further include an insert50 for puncturing a steel belted tire, or the like. Insert 50 preferablyconsists of a section of metal, such as a hard steel, as for example a4140 steel, tungsten steel, or like hard material. Which section of hardmaterial is bent serpentine to have a corrugated appearance, or has beenotherwise formed to resist bending, such as into a star configuration,or the like. An insert is thereby provided that will resist bendingwithout closing of the passage through the hollow spike wherein it isfitted, and which insert end is formed into a sharp end 52. The insert50 sharp end 52, when the insert is fitted in the hollow spike 24, asshown in FIG. 12, will extend beyond the top end of which spike. Tomaintain the insert 50 in the hollow spike 24, the insert bottom end iscentrally longitudinally slotted and the insert end sections so formedare bent oppositely, at right angles to the insert longitudinal axis,into feet 51 that extend across the hollow spike bottom end 24b.

The base supports 21, as shown best in FIG. 1, 5 and 8, are of identicalin construction and are arranged to be parallel to one another. Eachbase support includes a pair of legs 21a and 21b that are pivotallyconnected at their ends by a pivot 25 to diagonal portions 21c Whichbase supports legs and diagonal portions are preferably formed asindividual pieces manufactured from plastic, wood, or the like material.

The rocker arms 22 are fitted onto to overlay the diagonal portions 21cof the base support 21, and are secured thereto as with screws 22a,shown in FIGS. 4 and 10, and with the pivots 25 that extend throughwhich stack of rocker arms and diagonal portions. The base supports 21thereby provide a frame that mounts the rocker arms 22 and rocker armactuators 23, and can be collapsed to a closed attitude, as shown bestin FIGS. 3 and 9, and opened to an extended or deployed attitude, asshown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 8. With the same interconnection arrangement andpattern of connections a number of base supports 21 and rocker arms 22can be formed into an assembly of any desired length, to be folded to aclosed attitude or stretched, as set out above, to where the spikes 24will be essentially aligned such that a tire will roll over a number ofwhich spikes, as shown in FIG. 5.

Position locks, shown as angle stops 26 and 27, extend outwardly fromthe opposing top and bottom surfaces of the base supports diagonalportions 21c and the rocker arms 22, respectively. The angled stops haveopposing faces 26a and 27a that contact and prevent further rotationpast a limit point by the rocker arms 22 relative to the base supportdiagonal portions 21c. The angled stops restrain the deflator 20 fromopening or being deployed beyond a point where rocking of the rocker armactuators 23 mounted to adjacent rocker arms 22 will interfere with oneanother.

The pivot connections 25 are loose fitting enough that they not onlypermit pivoting of the base supports 21 and rocker arms 22 relative toone another, but they also permit the rocker arms to rock back and forthwith respect to the base supports while normally holding the rocker armsin a centered position. Which rocker arms 22 rocking back and forthoccurs when a vehicle tire as illustrated in FIG. 5, rolls onto ashoulder 23a of a rocker arm actuator 23, rocking the rocker arm 22towards the road surface and tilting the spike 24 to where its pointedend 24a will point toward the tire 28 tread. Which rocker arm actuatorshoulders 23a are arranged for providing a gripping by the tread of tire28 to provide a positive pivoting of which rocker arm as the tire movesthereon, directing the spike 24 into the tire.

The spikes 24 are preferably hollow metal tubes that each have one end24a sharpened into a point, with the other tube end 24b left flat, asshown best in FIGS. 2, 4, 6A, 6B, and 10. The straight open passagethrough which spike, when it is embedded in tire 28, to vent air fromthat tire, providing a controlled deflation to where a vehicle operatorcan safely stop his vehicle prior to where the tire is fully deflated.The spikes 24 can be of any convenient size, and could even behypodermic needles, or the like, within the scope of this disclosure.Each spike 24, with or without the insert 50 fitted therein, is arrangedfor seating in a spike recess or seat 30 that are formed at spacedintervals, as shown in FIG. 2, in the top surface of the rocker arms 22.

Each spike recess or seat 30, shown best in FIG. 2, is drilled orotherwise formed into a spike base boss 31 that is molded on and extendsupwardly from the rocker arm 22. Which drilling produces a recess orhole 32 having the diameter of the spike 24 at its flat end 24b. Withthe insert 50 fitted axially in the hollow spike, the insert feet reston the floor of which recess or hole 32 maintaining which insert inplace until it is removed along with the hollow spike 24, as set outherein below. The hole 32, at the surface of the spike base boss 31, iscountersunk to a greater diameter cushioning sleeve seat 33. Thecountersunk cushioning sleeve seat 33 is for accommodating a cushioningsleeve 34 snugly fitted therein that is arranged as a collar spike 24. Amounting of cushioning sleeve 34 onto spike 24 is illustrated in FIGS.6A and 6B.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a combination cushioning sleeve assembly andcompression insert tool 35 of the invention, hereinafter referred to astool. The tool 35 includes a cushioning sleeve assembly knob 36, thathas one or more spike holes 37 formed therein, and is mounted to the endof a cushioning sleeve compression and insertion shaft 38, that is astraight rod that is holed longitudinally to accommodate a hollow spike24 fitted therein. For mounting the cushioning sleeve 34 onto whichspike 24, the spike is fitted, sharp end 24a first, into spike hole 37in the knob 36, and the cushioning sleeve is fitted over the spike flatend 24b, shown by Arrow A in FIG. 6A. Which cushioning sleeve 34 ismanually pressed onto which spike flat end 24b and slid down the spike24, exposing approximately one half (1/2) inch of the spike flat endportion, as shown in FIG. 6B. The spike and cushioning sleeve can thenbe removed from spike hole 37 and fitted into the open end 38a of thecushioning sleeve compression and insertion shaft 38 for mounting in thespike recess or seat 30.

Shown in FIG. 7, the cushioning sleeve compression and insertion shaft38 of the tool 35 is broken away, adjacent to its open end, to expose ahollow spike 24 maintained therein, with a cushioning sleeve 34 shownmounted to the hollow spike as a collar. Which cushioning sleeve ispositioned below the end 38a of the cushioning sleeve compression andinsertion shaft 38, and above the cushioning sleeve seat 33 in the spikebase boss 32, with the hollow spike flat end 24b shown aligned to fitinto the spike hole 32. So arranged, FIG. 7 shows an operators hand 39closed around the cushioning sleeve assembly knob 36. That operator,through hand 39, to apply both a downward or compressive pressure,illustrated by Arrow B, against the cushioning sleeve 34, and turnswhich knob, illustrated as Arrow C, to urge the cushioning sleeve intothe cushioning sleeve seat 33 of the spike base boss 31. In whichcushioning sleeve seating, the spike flat end 24b travels into the seatrecess or hole 32, fully seating which spike 24 in the rocker arm 22spike recess or seat 30, as shown best in FIG. 2.

Shown in FIG. 5, a vehicle tire 28 engages one or more rocker armactuator shoulders 23a, depressing that shoulder into the ground androlling over a ramp 23b of which rocker arm actuator. The rocker armactuator rotation, in turn, twists the rocker arm 22 wherefrom itextends, pointing the sharp ends 24a of the spikes seated in spikerecesses or seats 30 towards the tread of which rolling tire 28.Therefore, as the tire 28 rolls over the rocker arm actuator shoulder23a and along ramp 23b, the spike 24 sharp end 24a engages and is driveninto the tire tread, traveling fully therein as the tire passes over thespike seat 30. Continued tire rolling thereafter pulls the spike 24 outof the spike seat 30 and releases the rocker arm actuator 23 as the tirerolls off the spike base boss 31. Where the hollow spike 24 furtherincludes the insert 50 fitted therein as for puncturing a steel beltedtire, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, that insert 50 travels with thehollow spike 24. With continued tire 28 turning, however, the insertthat is held within the hollow spike by its feet that extend across thehollow spike base end 24b, tends to slide out of the hollow spike, fullyopening the longitudinal passage therethrough.

As set out above, twisting of the rocker arm actuator 23 points ordirects the spike 24 pointed end 24a into the tread of tire 28, with thetire pulling the spike out of the spike seat 30 as it rolls over thespike base boss 31. The weight and momentum of which tire rolling overthe spike 24, however, produces stresses that are transmitted throughspike that tend to move the spike flat end 24b, deforming and damagingthe spike seat 30, to where it may not accept another spike 24 fittedtherein precluding a reuse of the deflator 20. Spike seat damage withuse has particularly been a problem with the deflator of the U.S. Pat.No. 4,995,756. The deflator 20, however, with the utilization ofcushioning sleeves 34 with spikes 24, as described, compensates for theforces exerted by a rolling tire on the seat, absorbing those forces andminimizing damage to which spike seat 30. The tire 28 rolling along therocker arm actuator 23 and over the spike base boss 31, as described,tends to tilt the spike 24 and cushioning sleeve collar in the spikeseat 30. The force of that tilting or pivoting of the spike end 24b inthe recess or hole 32 is, however, transmitted to and absorbed in thecushioning sleeve 34, without deforming the walls of which spike seat30. So arranged, the spike seats 30 can be easily refilled with spikes24 and reused a number of times.

Shown best in FIGS. 8 10 and 11, a pair of radial lifting ramps 44) areprovided that extend outwardly from the upper surface of the rocker arms21, separated by the pivot 25, and sloping oppositely. The ramps 40,arranged on opposite sides of which pivot have their sloping surfacespositioned adjacent to the sides of the base support 22. The slopingsurface of each radial lifting ramp 40 to engage the edge of the basesupport 22 as the rocker arm is pivoted across which base support, aswhen the deflator 20 is collapsed. The sliding of which base supportalong the radial lifting ramps 40 elevates the rocker arm 21 away fromthe base support. With deployment of the deflator 20 across a trafficlane, the radial lifting ramps slide across the base support, loweringthe rocker arm 21 at the pivot 25 into engagement with the base supportand into ground engagement.

In practice, the deflator 20 is folded to a compact configuration, asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 9, for storage and transport. When it isdeemed necessary to use the deflator to stop a traveling vehicle, it issimply pushed or pulled across a traffic lane, the deflator extendingfrom a closed to an open configuration, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 5.In that erection, the angle stops 26 and 27 move into engagementprohibiting the rocker arms 22 pivoting beyond their preferred spacingdistance to where the rocker arm actuators 23 and adjacent rocker arms21 would interfere with one another. Further to that erection, theradial lifting ramps 40 that have maintained the rocker arms 21 off thebase support 22 in a collapsed state, slide back over the base supportedges and lower each rocker arm 21 into street engagement when thedeflator is fully extended. Each rocker ARM 21 is thereby maintained outof ground engagement, so as to minimize the surface area contacted,until the deflator 20 is erected, thereby facilitating its travel acrossa traffic lane.

With the deflator 20 positioned across a traffic lane, as illustrated inFIG. 5, the hollow spikes 24 extend upwardly from the rocker arms 22.The rocker arm or arms are each pivoted or twisted by travel downward toground contact of a connected rocker arm actuator 23 as a vehicle tirerolls thereon. With rocker arm pivoting or twisting the pointed end 24aof which spike 24, and spike pointed end and insert 50 pointed end 52,as required, are directed into the vehicle tire. The spike and insertpointed ends penetrate and are driven into the tire as it rolls thereon.The force exerted by the weight and movement of which tire contactingthe spike and insert pointed ends tending to pivot the spike 24 in itsseat 30. Which force is absorbed by the cushioning sleeve 34 of theinvention, before it creates a deformation of the seat recess or hole32, allowing the spike seat 30 to be refilled with a new spike forreuse.

Within the scope of this disclosure, the deflator 20 can be fabricatedto, when extended, be long enough to extend across one full trafficlane, but could be longer or shorter as required. Also, a number ofdeflators can be placed end to end to extend a greater distance, or anumber of deflators can be arranged alongside one another to insure thatmore than one hollow spike will enter a tire rolling thereover, and, asrequired a hollow spike 24 with insert 50 can be utilized, as described,in place of the hollow spike 24 alone.

Herein has been shown and described a preferred form and arrangement ofour invention in an improved vehicle tire deflator and componentsthereof. It should, however, be understood that the present disclosureis made by way of example only and that changes can be made theretowithout departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of thefollowing claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims weregard as our invention.

We claim:
 1. An improved vehicle tire deflator comprising, a pluralityof rocker arm means; means for pivotally interconnecting said rocker armmeans to allow for movement of said rocker arm means to a side-by-sidefolded relationship and to an end-to-end extended configuration; aplurality of spike boss means mounted at intervals along an uppersurface of said rocker arm means; hollow spike seat means formed in eachsaid spike boss means that each include a hole formed longitudinallyinto said spike boss means through the top thereof for receiving an endof a hollow spike, and which said hole is countersunk longitudinally,forming a cushioning sleeve seat for receiving a hollow spike cushioningsleeve snugly fitted therein; a straight hollow spike having a flat endfor fitting into said spike boss means hole, and an opposite pointedend; a resilient cushioning sleeve for snugly fitting into said straighthollow spike; and rocker arms actuator means connected to extendoutwardly and upwardly from said rocker arm means, each said rocker armactuator means including a shoulder that is for first contact with apneumatic tire rolling thereon.
 2. An improved vehicle tire deflator asrecited in claim 1, wherein the means for pivotally interconnecting saidrocker arm means includes a plurality of base supports that arepivotally connected in parallel to said rocker arms; pivot meansarranged between said rocker arm means and said base supports; and stopmeans adjacent to said pivot means for limiting rotation of said rockerarm means relative to said base supports.
 3. An improved vehicle tiredeflator as recited in claim 2, wherein the stop means is a pair ofopposing stops one each formed to extend from, respectively, the bottomsurface of the rocker arm means and the base support top, said stopspositioned to engage and block further movement of said rocker arm meansacross the base support at a point where the actuator of one rocker armmeans could engage an adjacent rocker arm means.
 4. An improved vehicletire deflator as recited in claim 1, further including a ramp meansformed on the bottom surface of the rocker arm means, proximate to itspivotal coupling to the base support, consisting of a pair of oppositelyfacing upwardly sloping surfaces positioned on opposite sides of saidpivot, said sloping surfaces, when said rocker arm means is pivoted, toengage opposite edges of a base support whereto said rocker arm means ispivotally connected, lifting said rocker arm means away from said basesupport.
 5. An improved vehicle tire deflator as recited in claim 1,wherein the cushioning sleeve is manufactured from a resilient material.6. An improved vehicle tire deflator as recited in claim 1, furtherincluding a combination cushioning sleeve assembly and compressioninsert tool including, means for mounting the cushioning sleeve as acollar onto the hollow spike, and means for mounting said hollow spikeand cushioning sleeve into the cushioning sleeve seat.
 7. An improvedvehicle tire deflator as recited in claim 6, wherein the combinationcushioning sleeve assembly and compression insert tool is a ball whereinat least one hole is formed to receive the hollow spike fitted thereinand includes a tube extending from which ball to receive said hollowspike therein, the tube end to engage a top surface of said cushioningsleeve.
 8. An improved vehicle tire deflator as recited in claim 1,wherein the deflator base supports, rocker arm means and actuatorsconnected thereto are formed from a plastic material.
 9. A hollow spikefor mounting in a vehicle tire deflator comprising, a hollow tube havingone end formed into a point end and an opposite flat end, said flat endfor seating in a hollow spike seat means of a vehicle tire deflator; andan insert means for fitting longitudinally in said hollow spike that isformed of a section of a hard material, has a pointed end that extendsbeyond the hollow tube pointed end, and includes means for maintainingsaid insert means in said hollow spike until said hollow spike isremoved from its mounting in the vehicle tire deflator.
 10. A hollowspike as recited in claim 9, further including a cushioning sleeve meansformed of a resilient material and for arrangement as a collar to thehollow spike.
 11. A hollow spike as recited in claim 9, wherein themeans for maintaining the insert means in the hollow spike includescentrally slotting the end of said insert at its end opposite to itspointed end, forming base sections of said insert means that are bentoppositely into feet that extend across a bottom end of said hollowspike.
 12. A hollow spike as recited in claim 9, wherein the insertmeans section of hard material has at least one longitudinally bendformed therein from pointed to bottom ends.
 13. A hollow spike asrecited in claim 12, wherein the insert means has two oppositelongitudinal bends formed therein forming a corrugated section thatresists bending.
 14. A hollow spike as recited in claim 9, wherein theinsert means is formed from a section of hard steel. .Iadd.
 15. Adeflator for tires, the deflator comprising:a frame for supporting aplurality of spikes, the frame having an aperture extending a firstdepth and a first diameter; a spike of the plurality of spikespositionable in the aperture the spike having a second diameter lessthan the first diameter; a sleeve positionable around the spike to fitinside the aperture to resist distortion of the frame upon deflection ofthe spike. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. The deflator of claim 15 wherein the framefurther comprises a boss extending away from a surface of the frameproximate the aperture. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. The deflator of claim 15wherein the aperture extends in a longitudinal direction with respect tothe spike, and wherein the sleeve is further comprised of a resilientmaterial for selectively deflecting in response to a deflection of thespike in a transverse direction. .Iaddend..Iadd.18. The deflator ofclaim 15 further comprising a seat having a third diameter sized toreceive a base end of the spike. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. The deflator ofclaim 18 wherein the seat further comprises a floor positioned to orienta pointed end of the spike to extend away from a distal end of the seat..Iaddend..Iadd.20. The deflator of claim 18 wherein the seat furthercomprises a floor positioned to resist longitudinal movement in responseto a force exerted on the spike. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. The deflator ofclaim 15 wherein the spike further comprises a channel for conductingair longitudinally with respect to the spike. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. Thedeflator of claim 21 wherein the channel further comprises a tube havingan inner diameter sized to conduct air. .Iaddend..Iadd.23. The deflatorof claim 15 wherein the spike further comprises a spike wall fittedinternally with an insert extending longitudinally along an innersurface of the spike wall. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. The deflator of claim 23wherein the insert is formed to have a size effective to strengthen thespike. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. The deflator of claim 24 wherein the insertfurther comprises a member extending across the spike in a lateraldirection for resisting buckling of the spike. .Iaddend..Iadd.26. Thedeflator of claim 23 wherein the insert comprises a corrugated memberfor conducting air in a longitudinal direction. .Iaddend..Iadd.27. Thedeflator of claim 23 wherein the insert is sized to support the spikewith respect to the frame, and to release the spike upon engagement ofthe spike by a tire. .Iaddend..Iadd.28. The deflator of claim 23 whereinthe insert further comprises a foot positionable proximate a base end ofthe spike for supporting the spike against penetration into the frame inresponse to a force applied in a longitudinal direction..Iaddend..Iadd.29. The deflator of claim 23 wherein the insert furthercomprises a foot attached to one end thereof and securable to the seatfor retaining the insert in the seat upon removal of the spike from theseat. .Iaddend..Iadd.30. The deflator of claim 15 wherein the framefurther comprises a plurality of base supports associated with aplurality of arms, a base support of the plurality of base supportsbeing pivotably connected to an arm of the plurality of arms to renderthe frame selectively extendible by pivoting the base support withrespect to the arm. .Iaddend..Iadd.31. The deflator of claim 30 furthercomprising stops connected to the frame for positioning the basesupports with respect to the arms. .Iaddend..Iadd.32. The deflator ofclaim 30 further comprising a first stop connected to the base supportfor engaging a second stop connected to the arm for limiting pivoting ofthe base support in a first direction with respect to the arm, toward anextended position. .Iaddend..Iadd.33. The deflator of claim 32 furthercomprising a first lifting ramp on the base support and a second liftingramp on the arm for displacing the base support with respect to the armupon pivoting of the base support in a second direction opposite thefirst direction toward a folded position. .Iaddend..Iadd.34. Thedeflator of claim 33 wherein the first stop is formed to include thefirst lifting ramp, and the second stop is formed to include the secondlifting ramp. .Iaddend..Iadd.35. The deflator of claim 15 wherein theframe further comprises a lever connected to a base support for tiltingthe spike positioned in the base support toward a tire rolling over thelever. .Iaddend..Iadd.36. The deflator of claim 15 wherein the framefurther comprises a base support for supporting the spike, and having alever connected at a proximal end to the base support to extend awaytherefrom to a standoff formed at a distal end for receiving a tirethereon, the standoff being sized to urge the base support away from thetire for withdrawing with the tire the spike from the base support asthe tire moves away from the base support. .Iaddend..Iadd.37. A deflatorfor tires the deflator comprising:a frame for supporting a plurality ofspikes on a surface, the frame comprising a plurality of base supportsassociated with a plurality of arms, a base support of the plurality ofbase supports being pivotably connected to an arm of the plurality ofarms to render the frame selectively extendible by pivoting the basesupport with respect to the arm; a spike of the plurality of spikessupported by the base support to extend away therefrom for penetrating atire rolling over the base support; a first stop connected to the basesupport; a second stop connected to the arm to engage the first stop forlimitinq pivoting of the base support in a first direction, with respectto the arm, toward an extended position. .Iaddend..Iadd.38. The deflatorof claim 37 further comprising a first lifting ramp on the base supportand a second lifting ramp on the arm, the first lifting ramp and secondlifting ramp being mutually engageable to displace the base support withrespect to the arm upon pivoting of the base support in a seconddirection opposite the first direction and toward a folded position..Iaddend..Iadd.39. The deflator of claim 38 wherein the first stop isformed to include the first lifting ramp, and the second stop is formedto include the second lifting ramp. .Iaddend..Iadd.40. A tire deflatorfor deflating a tire of a vehicle, the deflator comprising:a framesupporting a plurality of spikes; a spike of the plurality of spikespositioned at an angle effective to penetrate the tire, the spike havingan opening extending longitudinally to a distal end thereof; and aninsert sized to fit the opening and to extend from the distal end, theinsert comprising:a first end sized to fit the opening, a second endpositioned to extend beyond the distal end to a point formed in a shapeeffective to penetrate into the tire, a portion extending between thefirst end and the second end and comprising a material selected to havea strength effective to support the second end during said penetration..Iaddend.